Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States, outranked only by New York. The City of Angels is known for so many things, primarily for being the home of Hollywood, beaches, wonderful weather, champion sports teams, and world-class food, music, fashion, and arts.
If you’re thinking of looking for nursing jobs in Los Angeles, we can show you what LA has to offer RNs, CNAs, LVNs, and other nursing professionals both on and off the job.
Fast Facts About Nursing Jobs: Los Angeles
- Is California a compact state? No. RNs in California must be licensed by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
- What’s the average RN salary in Los Angeles? The average salary for RN jobs in LA is $125,350, easily outpacing the national average salary for registered nurses of $89,010.
- Where can I find information about becoming a licensed RN in California? The CA.gov website has extensive information on licensure by exam requirements.
What to Know and Where to Look for Nursing Jobs in Los Angeles
With about 3.9 million residents in greater Los Angeles, this city copes with a massive demand for healthcare. That demand must be met by not only doctors and RNs, but also by nursing professionals including CNAs and LVNs. Nurses can apply to any type of work schedule that best suits their life including full-time, part-time, contract, temporary, and per diem nursing jobs in Los Angeles.
What else can affect the number of RN jobs in Los Angeles? The median age of the population of LA is 36 years old with a considerable 14.6% over the age of 65, making it unlikely the demand for healthcare will decline anytime soon.
One of the reasons the city is so big is the way it attracts people from all over the world, with more than 33% of the residents being foreign born and a very diverse population made up of sizable Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Native communities. This will test your cultural competency and provide many opportunities for nurses in LA with bilingual and multilingual skills.
Working in Los Angeles
Angelinos love their cars, and it’s a good thing that they do, because most spend a lot of time in them. An average commute in LA runs just over one hour, round trip. Most commuters drive in their cars alone and only about 9% take mass transit.
Despite how long it might take to get to your nursing job in LA, your options for work are as big as the city itself. The major industries in Los Angeles include cutting-edge employers in aerospace, biosciences, entertainment (of course), trade, transportation, design, ocean economy, fashion, tourism, IT, and food manufacturing. There are also many healthcare tech companies in the city and the surrounding metro area, providing unique opportunities for nursing jobs in LA and beyond.
In more good news for nurses seeking jobs in Los Angeles, the largest employers in the city include healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente and the highly respected Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Other large employers include:
- County of Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- State of California
- Target
- Northrop Grumman
- University of Southern California
- Walt Disney
Unfortunately, Los Angeles makes the list (at #6) of the largest metros with the least amount of healthcare workers per capita — there are only 3.25 healthcare workers per 100 residents. But that can also mean that employers are eagerly looking for people to fill nursing jobs in Los Angeles. In addition to Cedars Sanai (the largest health system in LA), other top-ranked hospitals in the larger metro include:
- UCLA Medical Center
- Keck Medical Center of USC
- Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
- Torrance Memorial Medical Center
- UCI Medical Center
Living in Los Angeles
Getting to your nursing job in Los Angeles may be challenging, but there is still so much about the city to love. The food scene is one of the best in the country, and despite the glam Hollywood scene, some of the most famous restaurants in LA feature simple hot dogs, burgers, tacos, not to mention the original French dip sandwich.
Of course, the LA weather is about as well-known as the Hollywood sign, with a year-round average temperature of 65 degrees and a lovely average of 186 sunny days per year. This climate allows Angelinos to lay on the beach, catch waves, hike, and, with skiing only about 5 hours away at Mammoth Mountain, hit the slopes as well.
Driving just a few hours north on the iconic Pacific Coast Highway will put you in beautiful Santa Barbara, which is also near one of California’s famous wine-growing regions, the Santa Ynez Valley. If you head south, you’ll find desert communities like Palm Springs and the well-known Death Valley, before arriving in San Diego and eventually Mexico.
Within the city, Los Angeles has 774 cultural venues including museums, libraries, theaters, parks, and stadiums, not to mention the Los Angeles Philharmonic, playing its season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (designed by the great Frank Gehry). There are so many ways to enjoy your new RN job in Los Angeles, but there are almost more ways to enjoy your life beyond work.
However, like most of California, there is a price that comes with living in such a wonderful place. The cost of living in Los Angeles is 51% above the national average; home prices are high as well — about 140% higher. Keep in mind that the average salary for all workers in LA is around $83,000, well over the average salary for U.S. employees, which was about $60,600 in 2022.
Find Great Nursing Jobs in Los Angeles With IntelyCare
Ready for a new adventure with RN, LVN or CNA jobs in Los Angeles? We can help. Start your IntelyCare application today, and build a schedule that fits your life.